Tunneling device



Patented Feb. 28, 1899.

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TUNNELING DEVICE.

(Application med May 4, 1898.]

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No. 620,102. Patented Feb. 28, i899. B. F. CARPENTER.

TUNNELING DEVICE.-

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN F. CARPENTER, OF ROSELLE, NEV JERSEY.

TUNNELING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 620,102, dated Februaryes, 1899.

Original application iiled December 16 1897, Serial No. 662,164. Dividedand this application filed May 4, 1898. Serial No, 679,739. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom t''may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN F. CARPEN- TER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Roselle, county of Union, State of New Jersey, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Tunneling Devices, fullydescribed and represented in the following specification and theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

The present invention relates to amethod of constructing a tunnelbeneath a street, park, or other body of earth without disturbing thesurface of the earth, which method consists in supporting the unbrokensurface material by suspension duringrthe excavating of the tunnel andthe erecting of the underground supports, and the present applicationisa division of my application, Serial No. 662,164, filed December 16,1897, for patent upon improvement in the art of tunneling. In such priorapplication I have claimed the 'above-described method broadly and havefiled the present application to claim specifically the means fortemporarily suspending the surface material by metallic frames adaptedto support poling-boards during the excavation of the material and untilthe permanent structure is erected within such boards. To support thematerial between the surface and the roof of the excavation, rods areextended downward through the soil or pavement into the upper line ofthe intended eX- cavation, the rods being inserted at suitable intervalsupon a line determined bya previous survey upon the surface. In thepresent construction two or three metallic frames having the samecontour at the top as the roof of the proposed tunnel are formed withholes or lugs to engage the suspending-rods, which are provided at suchintervals that the adjacent frames may support both ends of thepolingboards. As the excavation progresses the frames are successivelyintroduced into the heading beneath the front ends of the polingboardsand support the same as other boards are driven forward sufficiently toremove the earth and insert another frame. The frame is preferably madein sections with suitable fastening devices, so that the'parts of theframe may be readily transported into the heading and bolted togetherwhen assembled in their operative position.

The primary object of the frame is to support theload imposed by thesuperincumbent material, and it may therefore be used exclusively forsuch purpose and timber framing be employed when necessary to supportthe embanknients or sides of the tunnel, or the frame may be providedwith legs or posts eX- tending down the sides of the heading, and thusserve also to sustain the poling-boards at the sides of the excavation.

To introduce the frames successively in the heading, the excavation ismade within the front ends of the poling-boards a little beyond the lineof the suspending-rod, and the face-boards, if needed, are then erectedand the frame applied to such rods, so that other poling-boards may bedriven forward to support the earth during the succeeding excavation.

The construction and operation of the frames will be understood byreference to the annexed drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a cross-sectionof a sewer-tunnel with the surface soil supported adjacent to the rootsof a tree. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same at the centerline. Fig. 3 is a cross-section of the completed tunnel; Fig. 4, anelevation of one-half of the frame shown in Fig. I. Fig. 5 shows thebottom end of such frame; Fig. 6, the j oint-i'lange Aupon the top endof such frame. Fig. 7 is an edge view of a bar-frame with poling-boards;Fig. 8, a plan view of the frame and suspending-rods; Fig. 9, a sectionof a tunnel beneath street-railroad tracks with a frame having flatarch. Fig. l0 is an elevation of the top of the frame shown in Fig. 9;Fig. ll, the lower side of such top piece, and Fig. l2 an elevation of aframe with nat top.

Figs. l and 9 show slotted frames made of cast-iron, and Figs. 7 and 8 aframe of a flat wrought iron or steel bar.

Figs/1 and 2 show frames adapted to eX- cavate a round-top tunnel for asewer in earth which requires the use of poling-boards at the sides andtop of the tunnel.

By suspending the frames which support the poling-boards the boards canbe inserted IOO and driven much more rapidly than where timber framesare used, and where it is necessary to employ frames at the roof andsides of the excavation my construction furnishes a great advantage, asthe frames are made in parts bolted together, which permits thearrangement of the parts and the erection of the frames with much lesslabor than where the timber frames are used.

A special advantage is secured by suspending the frames which hold thepoling-boards, as the entire space within the excavation isunobstructed, thus permitting the erection of masonry in smaller tunnelsthan heretofore.

As timber frames depend wholly upon supports from within the tunnel,such supports must remain until the masonryis constructed, and in thecase of a small tunnel like that fora sewer the supports substanti allyprevent the erection of masonry and render such small constructions ofmasonry impracticable except in an open trench. By the present inventionthe tunnel may be driven and the mason-work completed without disturbingthe surface soil or injuriously affecting the roots of growing trees andshrubs, and the obstruction of traiic upon the surface when in streetsis thus wholly avoided, as well as the injury which is in icted upongrowing objects and the surface of the ground in parks when a tunnel 01'sewer is built in an open trench and the earth is thrown upon thesurface at the top of the same.

The term frame is used herein to designate the metallic beam or girderwhich is sustained by suspension-rods inserted in the earth in advanceof lthe excavation by surveying the route of the tunnel upon the surfaceand properly arranging beams to hang the rods therefrom. Such girder maybe a at bar of wood or metal suspended by the rods and used in practicewith an additional bar or fiat strap held above the same in contact withthe previously-driven boards by removable wedges, such wedgesmaintaining temporary spaces'bctween the bar and strap in which thepoints of the poling-boards are driven.

Where the frame is made in sections of cast metal, it is preferablyformed of a at plate having slots in the edge, the outer sides of whichserve to guide the boards, and the inner sides of the slots may befitted close to the boards or extended into the plate a considerabledistance to reach the masonry when finishing the same close to theframe.

Fig. l shows a frame with round top divided vertically at the middle,while Figs. 9 and l2 show the top beam or girder in one piece, with legsbolted thereto at the ends to sustain lateral poling-boards.

Figs. 7 and S show the girder as a flat bar with the suspension-rodsextended through the same to support it.

Although these frames are of such diverse form, their use is identicaland the method of applying and driving the poling-boards is the samewith all.

In Figs. l and 2 the two parts of the frame forln each one side of thearch and are formed at the joint with flanges t to receive bolts t. Thesuspension-rods c are inserted in the earth in advance, and beams B orother surface supports are provided to hang the rods therefrom. Notchedlugs i? are provided upon the frames to receive the lower ends of thesuspension-rods, which are adjusted by nuts cbelow the lugs, and thusserve to wholly sustain the load upon the frames. Each frame is providedwith slots S in its margin, through which the poling-boards are driven.Two rods are shown provided to sustain the frame, and such pairs of rodsshould be arranged at suitable distance apart to receive the lugs of theframes and space them suit-ably in the heading to support both ends ofthe polingboards.

During the excavation of the tunnel a pair of the frame parts T isintroduced when each pair of bolts or rods is encountered, and the frameparts are then set in the position shown in Fig. l and bolted togetherat the center.

Fig. 2 shows the facing-boards W at the end of the heading, one of theframes T n which the poling-boards are being driven, and another of theframes T in proximity to the iinished masonry, ready for removal whenthe poling-boards are freed from the same by pushing them past the edgeof the frame. The masonry is built up nearly to such frame, and theface-boards lV are supported by bars and braces NV against the end ofsuch masonry. Footing-boards n are shown driven at the sides of theexcavation in contact with thel legs of the frame and braced by bars o3and beams r2. The excavation is carried forward, so that the face-boardsmay be set beyond the line of the rods c to permit the application of aframe to such rods.

Fig. l shows the frame T with the points of one set of poling-boards uaround the margin of the frame and the butts of a succeeding set in theslots S. To guide the points of the boards, the strap or bar d issustained around the edge of the frame by the blocks or Wedges e, andafter each board is driven forward the wedges may be loosened or removedto make room for the other boards.

Fig. 2 shows in full lines the situation of two of the frames T and T',with the polingboards supported bythe same, when the heading has beenadvanced sufficiently to receive a third frame T2, which is indicated bydotted lines adjacent to the face-boards W. Before the frame T2 isinserted the most advanced poling-boards are driven past the rods c, andwhen the new frame is applied to such rods the strap d is wedged againstsuch board by wedges e, which are shown most clearly in Fig. 9, formingspaces e outside the margin of the frame. The sets of boards usedsuccessively with the frames are designated in ICO IIO

Fig. 2 by the letters it u', &c. The polingboards u are shown in fulllines with their rear ends resting in the slots S of the frame T; butsuch boards before the frame T2 is inserted would be driven forward tothe position indicated by dotted lines at their forward ends to free theboards from the slots in the frame T'. A drift s is provided topenetrate the slot, being held in position against the end of the boardbya handle s', and provided with a seat s2, to which a hammer can beapplied when driving a board through a slot. The frame T can then beremoved by disconnecting the bolts t at the center flanges t andswinging -the sides of the frame parts.- inwardly, as indicated indotted lines, Within the left side of the arch in Fig. `l. After passingthe frame T the rear ends of the boards u are driven toward the frame T,leaving their rear ends projected from the frame sufficiently to beengaged by the masonry when built up to the frame, as indicated at therear side of the frame T. When the frame T2is securedin place,poling-boards should be inserted through the slots S in the frame T andinclined outwardly to enter Ifhe spaces e' around the frame T2, and thedriving of such boards forward over the face-boards W vfurnishes asupport for the surrounding earth when the face-boards are taken down tocarry the heading forward to or beyond the next pairofsuspension-rods.The masonryisbuilt as close to each frame as is compatible with thedriving of the poling-boards, and two or three frames may thus serve tobrace all the poling-boards that are used.

Where it is not convenient to carry the masonry forward as rapidly asthe heading is extended,other frames and polin g-boards may be useduntil the masonry can be built. The frames T and T are shown applied tothe forward sides of the suspension-rods, with the lugs t2 upon the rearside of the frame to engage such rods; but the frame T2 is shown appliedto the rear side of the rods, which may be effected by turning the framewith the lugs upon the forward side.

Vhen building the brickwork close to the frame, as represented in Fig.l, the operator can lay the bricks to a certain height Withoutdifficulty; but to enable him to reach the top of the arch from thefront end enlargement is made of the slot-opening S in the top of theframe in Fig. 9 at and near the center, through which the bricks andmortar may be placed upon the top of the arch, so as to stay theresecurely. Openings c2 are also shown below the bolt-lugs t2 in Figs. 9and 10 to reach the nuts upon the lower ends of the rods c when applyingthe frame in front of the rods, as may be done contiguous to thefacing-boards W.

The slots S are shown in Fig. ,4 extended between Iianges t3 at such aninclination as to guide the poling-boards toward the outer edge of thepreceding frame; but the outer side of the slot furnishes al1 the guidethat is necessary for each board, and the slot may therefore be made ofany width upon the inner side. The top of the frame which is shown inFig. 9 illustrates this feature of the slots, as the poling-boards a5are shown driven in contact with the upper side of the opening S, theremainder of the opening permitting the operator to stand upon theforward side of the frame when necessary to apply the bricks through theopening to the top of the adjacent brickwork.

The beams B, which sustain the rods c, are shown supported at theiropposite ends upon stringers B', which are extended along the groundbeyond the side lines of the tunnel to relieve the earth over theexcavation from any load, and the left-hand rod in Fig. lis shownattached to the beam by a stirrup,

-while the right-hand rod is inserted through a strip b, resting uponthe tops of the beams. A tree R is shown inl Figs. 1 and 2, with rootsR' extending into the earth over the tunnel, thus illustrating the greatfacility afforded by this invention for tunnelingunder parks filled withgrowing trees and shrubs without disturbing or injuring such growth inthe least.

. Observation has shown that the roots of most trees penetrate theground but little over four feet, and tunnels may therefore be madebeneath the surface at that depth with the frames I have invented andthe removal of the trees avoided, which is required with an openexcavation.

It will be noticed in Fig. 1 that the suspension-'beams B are settransverse to the line of the tunnel; but such arrangementis notadmissible where the tunnel is extended beneath car-tracks, and Fig. 9therefore shows an arrangement of beams extended longitudinally betweenthe car-tracks C and serving to sustain the frames Without obstructingthe traffic upon the track. Such beams may be Vmade considerably longerthan the heading,

and thus avoid throwing any loadV upon the earth over such part of thetunnel, lthe forward ends of the beams resting over the solid earth andthe rear ends of the beams resting over the finished masonry of thetunnel.

It will -be understood that the strap d operates the same as a part ofthe frame lin furnishing openings to receive the poling-boards as thesame are driven successively through the frames, and that the slots eare formed within a loose strap instead of the solid frame, so that theframes may be successively detached from the boards, which are notdriven wholly through the frame, but remain to rest upon the masonry, asthe boards u in Fig. 2. The Wedges e, which form the spaces e', are

vremovable and may be shifted, in the application of the boards, toinsert their points Wherever convenient. The loose strap around IOO IOS

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the margin of the frame is thus an important attachment of the same andgreatly facilitates the use and operation of the frames.

`IVhere an arched frame is jointed in the middle, as shown in Fig. l,the bolted fiangesfoperate to spread the legs of the frame apart as theyare set in place and the bolts tightened up in the flanges, and theframe is thus more readily arranged in the required position and forcedoutward more firmly against the surrounding boards. I have thereforeclaimed such bolts and flanges for expanding the legs of the frame inplace.

The appliances described herein are very cheap and easily used andafford a means not only of constructing railway-tunnels in soft soil,but of laying sewers and similar conduits in the ground withoutdisturbing the surface of the same.

Having thus set forth the invention, what I claim herein isl. In theconstruction of tunnels, the combination, with suitable suspension-rods,of a frame shaped to fit the top of the tunnel excavation and applied tothe rod or rods, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In the construction of tunnels, the means for supporting the surfacemateriahconsisting of the suspension rod or rods cand the metallic framemade in parts or jointed sections, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In the construction of tunnels, the means for supporting the surfacematerial, consisting of the suspension rod or rods, and the metallicframe having slots in the margin to receive the poling-boards,substantially as set forth.

4. In the construction of tunnels, the means for supporting the surfacematerial,consisting ofthe suspension-rods c and the metallic frameprovided around the margin with flanges t3 having between them theinclined slots T', as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In the construction of tunnels, the means for supporting the surfacematerial, consisting of the metallic frame having in the margin slotsfor the admission of poling-boards, and provided with a series of lugsto admit the suspension-rods at different points, substantially as setforth.

G. In the construction of tunnels, the means for supporting the surfacematerial, consisting of suitable surface supports, suspensionrodsextended downward therefrom to intersect the top of the tunnel, and theiron frames sustained by such rods, with joint at the middle, and means,as the ange t and bolts t', for drawing such joint together and therebyexpanding the legs of the frame.

7. In the construction of tunnels, the combination, with suspension-rodsextended from the surface into the line of the tunnel, and a frameshaped to fit the top of the tunnel excavation and sustained by suchrods, of a strap wedged against the boards outside of such frame, withintermediate spaces to receive the points of poling-boards,substantially as set forth.

8. In the construction of tunnels, the combination, with a metallicframe having marginal slots for the insertion of poling-boards, of astrap wedged against the earth outside of such frame with intermediatespaces to receive the points of other poling-boards, substantially asset forth.

9. In the construction of tunnels, the combination with suitablesuspension-rods, of a frame shaped to fit the top of the tunnelexcavation and supported by such rods and having within the margin anopening S adapted for the application of materials to the masonry whenbuilt close to such frame.

10. The frame for the construction of tunnels, provided in the marginwith slots to receive poling-boards, and having the center slotenlarged, as in the opening S', for applying materials to masonry whenbuilt close to such frame.

11. In the construction of tunnels, a metallic frame shaped to fit thetop of the tunnel excavation, and provided with side posts to supportthe side {Joling-boards, the frame having slots in the margin to receivepolingboards, substantially as herein set forth.

l2. In the construction of tunnels,the means for supporting the surfacematerial during the excavation of the tunnel, consisting ofsuspension-rods extended downward in a series upon the line of thetunnel to intersect the top of the same, and a beam extended above thesurface longitudinally of the tunnel to sustain the upper ends of suchrods, as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

BENJAMIN F. CARPENTER.

Witnesses:

THOMAS S. CRANE, EDWARD F. KINsEY.

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